FREMONT - An employee tossed pizza dough high in the air in front of a wood-fired stove on one side of Elroy's Deli Market, while other workers sliced meat in the deli or stocked the new restaurant's pastry case.

The market, at 105 S. Front Street, is the latest addition to downtown Fremont's growing list of eateries.

Owners Shawn and Tom Kern opened Elroy's earlier this month.

The deli market is focused on Italian-themed meats and cheeses, with sugar cane sodas and a short menu of hot sub sandwiches and pizzas for lunch and dinner crowds, Shawn Kern said.

"We'll be expanding our menu as we go along," Kern said in a recent interview as he talked about the inspiration behind the deli and his plans to open an Italian restaurant next door in September.

Soon, the Front Street building will house the downtown's newest restaurant, Scarpetta's Italian, as the Kerns continue with their revitalization plans and efforts to bring up the quality of the city's dining options and entice visitors downtown.

Kern said Scarpetta's should open in the first or second week of September.

He said Elroy's and Scarpetta's would share a kitchen once the fine dining restaurant opens.

Elizabeth Donaldson, the manager of Elroy's, said the deli's focus is on bringing authentic Italian cooking and ingredients.

Elroy's makes housemade cannoli fresh every day, and Donaldson said the cannoli is the deli's top-selling pastry so far.

"The pastries have just taken off. I think Fremont definitely has a sweet tooth," Donaldson said.

The deli also offers fresh specialty salads and soups.

In April, Tom Kern said the administrations of former mayor Jim Ellis and current mayor Danny Sanchez both have been cooperative and helpful to the Kerns as they pursued their downtown redevelopment interests.

He said his plans had come together a little faster than he had anticipated in the downtown area since he and his grandson formed Discover Fremont, Ltd., and approached the city in 2015 about establishing a downtown revitalization district.

This will be the second restaurant the Kerns have opened in downtown Fremont recently, after The Garrison opened on Garrison Street in November.

Shawn Kern said he and his grandfather are looking for more opportunities, but don't have anything specific in mind at the moment.